Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an assembly structured to operatively mount armor on a user's body in a predetermined protective orientation and includes a rigid material base having an outer portion disposed in overlying, covering relation to the armor retained on an inner portion of the base. An attachment assembly is mounted on the base and operatively connected to a plurality of connectors which may be quickly and substantially concurrently disposed in a release orientation for removal of the base from its protective orientation on the user.
Description of the Related Art
Protection of the upper torso such as, but not limited to, the area of the body between the waist and the neck and including both frontal and rear portions of the upper torso have been accomplished utilizing various types of armor or appropriate protective devices. By way of example, garments, which may be in the form of a vests, jackets or the similar type apparel may contain and support different types of armor. As such, the contained armor structures or materials are generally intended to prevent the penetration of projectiles. Such armor materials include sufficient structural integrity to prevent the penetration of such projectiles, but also must be sufficiently lightweight to be mounted on and carried by the body of the user. By way of example only, armor structure or materials may include layers of nylon ballistic fabrics overlapping small thin metal plates, reinforced plastics or a combination of such materials. These types of armor materials may be incorporated in different types of ballistic vest, jackets, etc.
Also, woven, high tensile strength fiber materials include projectile resistant and high energy absorption properties. Advantages of this type of material include the aforementioned lightweight capabilities as well as adequate protection features. Therefore, utilization of armor material which is sufficiently lightweight is important not only from a protective feature but also from the standpoint of comfort to the wearer. Also, known ballistic garments of the type described herein must have minimum levels of protection against the penetration of different types of projectiles.
However, conventional armor materials of the type described above including, but not limited to, the multiple layers of woven fabric, may have certain disadvantages and or operative weaknesses. By way of example, improper structuring including interlacing of the multiple layers can cause strain resulting in fiber breakage which in turn results in the inability to protect against the penetration of a projectile. Also, fibers in woven armor type layers must overcome a crimp factor before they can be assembled. Other armor materials include soft body materials which have been fabricated from polyethylene cloth including, but not limited to ballistic cloth structured to include unidirectional fiber arranged in layers which are appropriately cut and pressed to produce a single ply. Multiple plies of this type material can then be stacked to form the pliable armor structure. Energy which is not absorbed by conventional materials of the type set forth herein results in projectile energy being only partially absorbed. As such at least a portion of the projectile's energy is transmitted through the armor layer to the body of a wearer. The result of such energy transference is the same as the wearer absorbing a heavy blow to the affected body part. Accordingly, important factors to be considered in the development of effective body armor include the ability to prevent penetration of a projectile as well as its ability to reduce the amount of deformation of the armor material when subjected to the force of an oncoming projectile. Other factors to be considered include the cost of the material, comfort to the wearer, techniques of construction and the overall weight of the material associated with a body mounted armor.
Additional problems and potential disadvantages associated with known body armor include its structuring in combination with or as part of a garment such as the aforementioned vest, jacket, etc. Utilization of body armor in this fashion significantly restricts the possibility of the user quickly and easily removing the body armor when desired. Such easy removal capabilities may be especially important when the user is subjected to emergency conditions and/or when the body armor is not needed.
Accordingly, there is a need in the area associated with body mounted armor, which overcomes the disadvantages and problems of the type generally recognized above. Such a preferred armor structure may be incorporated in or as part of an armor holder assembly which is not associated with vests, jackets or like garments, but may be used independently thereof. In such situations additional features of such a proposed armor holder assembly may include the provision of a quick release attachment assembly such that the armor holder assembly may be effectively and reliably mounted on or removed from the user's body. However such quick release capabilities also facilitate the rapid detachment or disposition of the armor holder assembly from its protective orientation on the body of the user to a disconnected, separated relation.
Therefore, at least one proposed feature of an improved armor holder assembly may comprise the use of a quick release connectors associated with an attachment assembly, which also includes an effective structure and feature for concurrently disconnecting the attachment assembly from the body of the user. Accordingly, when utilizing the improved and proposed armor holder assembly quick release buckle assemblies are not only a convenience but a necessity in certain emergency applications.